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Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
Are you a middle school ELA teacher looking for practical, proven strategies to help your students grow as confident readers and writers? Middle School Café is your go-to podcast for engaging teaching ideas, classroom-tested tools, and real talk about what works in today’s ELA classroom.
Each episode delivers actionable tips to help you close reading gaps, build student ownership, and create a classroom culture where literacy thrives. Whether you're navigating a curriculum, supporting struggling readers, or just looking for fresh ways to inspire your students, you'll find support, strategy, and a sense of community right here.
Join a community of passionate middle school ELA teachers working to build confident, engaged readers. Visit www.middleschoolcafe.com for classroom tools, podcast extras, and resources to support every student on their reading journey.
Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
Winter Break Countdown: Easy, Inclusive Activities for Middle School ELA [Ep. 4]
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The countdown to winter break is on—but these final weeks can feel like the longest of the year. In this episode, I’m sharing easy, low-prep activities that help keep students engaged and bring just the right amount of festive fun to your classroom.
We’ll talk about how to approach holiday celebrations in a way that’s inclusive, respectful, and representative of the students and community you serve. You’ll hear tips for inviting students into the planning process, thinking seasonally when holiday celebrations aren’t an option, and keeping classroom routines fresh without adding to your stress.
Whether you’re looking to shift the energy in your room or simply survive the stretch to break, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use right away.
Read more in the show notes.
Related episodes and blog posts:
- How to Celebrate the Holidays in Secondary ELA - Blog post
- Teacher Self Care Starts Now: How to Recharge Over Winter Break
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Holiday Traditions Resource
- Winter Visual Writing Prompts
- Holiday Visual Writing Prompts
- Creative Writing Holiday prompts
- Elf and the Shoemaker - short story unit
- A Kidnapped Santa Claus - short story unit
- The History of New Year's Eve in Times Square
- The History of the Poinsettia Nonfiction Reading Passage
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